CarcassSurgical Steel

Carcass know how to make a return. "1985," the instrumental opener for this, their first album since 1996's Swansong, sends goosebumps all over the ol' cadaver, the Thin Lizzy guitar melodies quickly bashed into oblivion by the amazingly titled "Thrasher's Abbatoir." That track takes the rock smarts of Heartwork and adds the gore of Necroticism for the middle ground Carcass promised for their return, but no one knew if they'd deliver. "The Granulating Dark Satanic Mills" is easily one of the best songs they've ever written, while "Captive Bolt Pistol" has psychotic grind riffing, as does "Noncompliance to ASTM F 899-12 Standard," which also has a straight-up brilliant title. "316 L Grade Surgical Steel" is one of the best almost-title tracks ever (and the closest they come to Swansong's Southern rock leanings). "Cadaver Pouch Conveyor System" lays down some rock god guitar solos over a mid-tempo groove crunch, while excellent closer "Mount of Execution" is a moving, powerful way to end things off. Every track is crushing, memorable (although not quite as much as the Heartwork material — the album's only fault), grinding (but not spending a great deal of time in blast beat territory), thrashing and filled not with gore, but the ultra-sanitized tools that lead to butchery, which is all the more horrifying.
(Nuclear Blast)